Information providing apparatus, information providing method, and information providing system

An information providing method comprising:

• obtaining log information and personal information corresponding to the log information;
• giving tentative IDs to the personal information, each of the tentative IDs being given at each predetermined timing;
• generating correspondence-relationship information indicating a correspondence relationship between the personal information and the each of the given tentative IDs;
• receiving a request for outputting information including a requested tentative ID given at one past timing, on the request the requested tentative ID being identified by i) a current tentative ID given to the personal information and ii) the one past timing when the requested ID was given to the personal information;
• determining, in accordance with the request, link-relationship information indicating a correspondence relationship between the requested tentative ID and the current tentative ID, based on the generated correspondence-relationship information;
• and
• outputting first information including the requested tentative ID or second information indicating that outputting of the first information is not permitted, based on the determined link-relationship information.

An information providing system comprising:

• a first information communication apparatus;
• an information providing apparatus;
• and
• a second information communication apparatus,
• wherein the first information communication apparatus collects log information and personal information corresponding to the log information,
• wherein the information providing apparatus comprises
• an inputter that obtains, from the first information communication apparatus, the log information and the personal information corresponding to the log information,
• a tentative ID giver that gives tentative IDs to the personal information, each of the tentative IDs being given at each predetermined timing,
• a first storage that stores correspondence-relationship information indicating a correspondence relationship between the personal information and the each of the given tentative IDs,
• a receiver that receives, from the second information communication apparatus, a request for outputting information including a requested tentative ID given at one past timing, on the request the requested tentative ID being identified by i) a current tentative ID given to the personal information and ii) the one past timing when the requested ID was given to the personal information,
• an information processor that determines, in accordance with the request, link-relationship information indicating a correspondence relationship between the requested tentative ID and the current tentative ID, based on the correspondence-relationship information stored in the first storage,
• a second storage that stores the determined link-relationship information, and
• an outputter that outputs, to the second information communication apparatus, first information including the requested tentative ID or second information indicating that outputting of the first information is not permitted, based on the link-relationship information stored in the second storage.